You are here

January 2017

KALISPELL, Mont. (AP) — A northwestern Montana woman charged with operating a Ponzi scheme that scammed dozens of investors out of more than $1.5 million has changed her plea in the case.

The Flathead Beacon reports that Catherine Ann Finberg pleaded no contest Wednesday to theft by embezzlement and guilty to operating a pyramid scheme and fraudulent securities practices. As part of a plea deal, prosecutors dropped two additional charges.

The Columbia Falls woman initially denied all the charges by pleading not guilty in September.

GREAT FALLS, Mont. (AP) — A Browning man is in federal custody on suspicion of killing his wife by running her over with a pickup truck.

Thomas Edward Mancha, 60, was arrested on Jan. 18 and the next day a federal magistrate found probable cause to detain him on suspicion of second-degree murder in the Jan. 1 death of Charlene Mancha, 51, on the Blackfeet Indian Reservation near U.S. Highway 2 between Browning and Cut Bank. He has not been indicted and hasn't entered a plea.

For the past 10 years, Livingston’s St. Andrew’s Episcopal Church has held its Celtic Festival, and it isn’t complete without the haggis.

“Haggis” is a mixture of animal parts, onions, oatmeal, spices and fats cooked in a casing. It is a traditional dish served in Scotland and can also be found at St. Andrews’ Celtic Festival set for Saturday at Livingston’s Elk’s Lodge.

Every year since the festival began, the church has received the traditional dish from Pioneer Meats in Big Timber.

The Montana Fish and Wildlife Commission is seeking public comment on new no-wake zones proposed on three different bodies of water.

Four petitions were submitted to the Montana Fish and Wildlife Commission last fall. The commission voted to initiate the rule-making process on the petitions. The process includes public hearings, which are being held in February. The commission is tentatively scheduled to make a final decision on the proposed rules at its regular April meeting, according to an FWP news release.

Government agencies want to help local businesses compete for contracting opportunities with the National Park Service.

To that end, staff from the NPS and Montana State University-based Procurement Technical Assistance Center will host a workshop on Wednesday, Feb. 15 from 9:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. at the MSU Park County Extension office, located at 119 S. Third St. in Livingston.

I encourage Montana’s legislators to support Property Assessed Clean Energy (PACE). This winter, many of Montana’s families and businesses are facing high utility bills as a result of old and inefficient homes and buildings. PACE will make financing energy efficiency, renewable energy, and water conservation upgrades to existing buildings more affordable.

So how are you faring in this bone-grinding winter? Cold temps, relentless wind, snow, drifting snow, ice, ankle-deep slush, contagion — that’s some kind of litany. Your library urges you to take care of yourself--we don’t want to lose you to illness, accident, or insanity.